Outboard motor



Filed Feb. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnveniior Jo/mB.Fa rr' De ceased,By/Qma Grayf'arr fixecuzr'ix.

Sept. 12, 1944. FARR 2,357,942

OUTBOARD MOTOR Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEou'raoaan Mo'roa John B. Farr, deceased, late of Detroit, Micln, by

. Ama Gray Farr, executrix, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,215

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-195) This invention relates to internal combusthmotors and in particular to outboard motors for propelling boats.

One object of this invention is to provide a multiple radial cylinderoutboard motor with at least three cylinders wherein the various pistonsare secured to a common crank through their connecting rods, this crankbeing mounted upon a crank shaft which drives the propeller.

Another object is to provide a four cycle radial multiple cylinderoutboard motor with at least three cylinders wherein each cylinder isprovided with a cam shaft for actuating the intake and exhaust valves,each cam shaft being preferably driven from a common gear on the crankshaft.

Another object is to provide a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorwherein the various piston connecting rods are connected to a half crankmounted on the crank shaft.

Another object is to provide a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorwith at least three cylinders having a crank shaft with a half crankcarrying an anti-friction bearing to which the various piston connectingrods are connected, so that the bearing, such as a ball bearing, may bemounted on the half crank without being split or otherwise divided.

Another object is to provide a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorwith at least three cylinders having the multiple connecting rodsconnected to a half crank on the crank shaft, the end of this half crankprojecting so as to be engaged by a hand operated crank for startingpurposes.

Another object is to provid a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorhaving a vertical crank shaft driven by connecting rods from themultiple cylinders, the crank shaft carrying a fly-wheel beneath thecylinders, this fly-wheel rotating in a horizontal plane and carryingscoop devices which scoop up the oil and throw it upward to variousparts of the motor.

Another object is to provide a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorwith at least three cylinders having a. cover plate on top of thehousing, this cover plate having intake manifolds therein for equallydistributing the explosive gas mixture to the various intake valves.

Another object is to provide a multiple radial cylinder outboard motorhaving the intake valve chamber immediately adjacent the exhaust valvechamber and separated therefrom by a thin wall.

so that the cold incoming gases tend to cool the walls heated by theoutgoing exhaust gases. Another object is to provide a multiple radialcylinder outboard motor having a one piece tubular propeller shafthousing having bearing seats at its opposite ends so that these bearingseats may be machined in accurate alignment without the danger ofsubsequent misalignment in assembly.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away in central verticalsection, showing a preferred embodiment of the multiple radial cylinderoutboard motor according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the outboard motorshown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the valve structure of a cylinder,taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2.

General arrangement In general, the outboard motor of this inventionconsists of an approximately circular crank case carrying three or moreradial cylinders having pistons connected to an anti-friction hearingmounted upon a half crank, which, in turn, is a part of the verticalcrank shaft. This crank shaft, beneath the'cylinders, carries ahorizontal fly-wheel having scoop elements arranged to scoop up the oilfrom the crank case or sump and throw it to various parts of theinvention. The crank shaft also carries a timing gear which meshes withindividual timing gears mounted on an individual cam shaft for each ofthe several cylinders, this cam shaft operating the intake and exhaustvalves of each cylinder. The half crank shaft projects upward so that itis'engageable by a hand crank mechanism for starting purposes. v

The upper part of the motor above the cylinders is occupied by a coverplatehaving intake manifolds therein rimning to the intake valves of thevarious cylinders. By this means the explosive gas is equallydistributed to the various cylinders from the carburetor. Each intakemanifold runs to an intake valve chamber which is separated by a thinwall from the exhaust valve chamber so that the cold incoming gases willcool the exhaust valve chamber.

The crank shaft is coupled to a propeller shaft mounted in anti-frictionbearings in a one piece tubular housing, the bearing seats of which aremachined in accurate alignment. Since the housing is not divisible inmanufacture or assembly, this construction insures accurate alignment ofthe bearings.

The drive housing is mounted in a suitable bracket mechanism attached tothe boat by which the motor may be turned bodily through a completerevolution so'that the boatmay be reversed or the rudder, attached tothe lower portion of the housing, turned through a wide angle.

Detailed construction The'crank case I is provided with a plurality ofradially disposed apertures II within which are mounted cylinders I5having cylinder bores I5 containing pistons I I. The pistons I! areprovided with internal bosses I0 having aligned bores I9 carrying thewrist pins 20.

The wrist pins are engaged by the bores 2i in the end of the connectingrod 22, the opposite end of which'is provided with a bore surroundingand containing the outer element 24 of an anti-friction bearing 25. Theinner element 20 of the latter is mounted upon the portion 21 of thehalf crank 20 forming a part of the crank shaft 20. The half crank 20 isprovided with an oppositely projecting counterweight portion 00 forcounterbaiancing the thrust of the crank.

The crank shaft 29 carries the inner element 5| of an anti-frictionbearing 02, the outer element 33 of which is supported in a recess 04within the spider 35 forming a part of .the crank case I0. The latter isprovided with an integral yoke portion 50 carrying a pivot pin 51 uponwhich is mounted a pivot handle 00 by which the motor mayb swung to andfro by the operator around a vertical axis, for steering or reversingpurposes.

Keyed to the crank shaft 25 is a timing'gear 59 which meshes with gears40 (Figs. 2 and 3) mounted on the cam shafts ll. Each cylinder I5 isprovided with its own individual cam shaft, the lower end of which ismounted in the antifriction bearings 42 supported in recesses 40 inpartition wall 'II between the intake chamber 40 and the exhaust chamberI2 (Fig. 3). The exhaust chamber 50 is simply provided with a coilspring I0 urging it into a closed position. The exhaust valve chamber I2is provided with an exhaust port I4 to which an exhaust manifold (notshown) may be connected in any conven-.

tional way, and leading either to a conventional muiiier or to anunderwater exhaust. These elements are omitted to simplify thedisclosure.

The cylinder bores I 0 of the cylinders I5, at their outer ends, areclosed by the cylinder heads I5 bolted thereto as at 10 andcontainingthe ignition chambers- II, having threaded bores 10 containing thespark'plug 19. Theenergization .of the spark plugs I0 is effected byelectricity supplied from a conventional spark coil or magneto(notshown) through a-conventionai timer and distributor (not shown)mounted on the upper end of one of the cam shafts II. This timing anddistributing mechanism is likewise omitted for purposes of simplifyingthe-showing.

Each of theintake chambers is provided with an intake port 00 from whichthe intake manifold passageways 40 lead to. the carbureter connectingportion 0| to which is attached the carburetor 02. The latter isprovided as usual with an air intake portion 02 and anadjusting screw 04for adjusting the needle valve.

The cover plate 41 containing the exhaust passageways I0 is bolted as at05 to the cylinders II. The cover plate 01' is likewise provided with avertical bore 00 containing the shaft 81 on one end of which is mountedthe manually cperated starting crank 00. 'A coil spring 00 urges theshaft 01 and crank 00 upward. The other end of the shaft 01 carries anarm 00 engageable with a projection 5i upon the crank portion 21. Theprojection 0| is wedge-shaped (Fig. 2)

the spider 35 of the crank case I0 (Fig. 3). The

upper end of each cam shaft is mounted in antifriction bearings 44supported in the recess 45 formed in the boss 40. The bosses projectdownwardly from the cover plate ",the latter also containing intakemanifold passageways 45 leading to the intake valve chambers 49 in eachcylinder I5. The cam shafts II are provided with intake and exhaustvalve cams 50 and 5|, respectively, serving to actuate the valve tappets52 and 53, respectively, mounted in the bores 54 of the collars 55. Thelatter, in turn, are mounted in the bores 55 within the partitionportions 51 forming a part of the cylinder I5 '(Fig. 3). The'valvetappets 52, actuated by the cams 50, engage the enlargements 50 upon theends of the intake valves 50 having valve heads engaging valve seats 5|in the cylinders I5. The intake valve 59 is reciprocably mounted in abore 52 within the spider 52 extending across the intake chamber 40. Acoil spring 04 urges the intake valve 50 toward its closed posiso as topermit the arm 00 mm thus automatically when the motor starts.

Connecting rod 22 is a. master connecting rod which is provided withpivot pins 02 to which the connecting links or secondary connecting rods03 are pivotally connected. Opposite ends of the secondary connecting-jrods 02 are pivotdisengaged ally connected to the wrist pins 20 ofthepistons I! in the manner previously described. The pistons I1 areprovided with the usual piston rings 00 for the prevention of leakagebetween the pistons I1 and the cylinder bore I0. The cylinders II areprovided with the usual cooling flns or, flanges 55 with correspondingfins 96 upon the cylinder heads I5.

Th crank shaft 20 is provided with a tapered portion 01 engaged by thecorrespondingly tapered bore 00 of the fly-wheel 05 keyed thereto. Thefly-wheel 00 is provided with bores I00 within which are secured thedownwardly extending scoop tubes Ill. The latter project slightly abovethe top of the fly-wheel 00 and, in the rotation of the latter, serve topick up oil from the sump portion II and throwit upward to the variousmoving parts of the motor.

,The sump portion II is provided with an upwardly projecting annularflange I02 surrounding the fly-wheel hub I00 and serving to prevent theescape of lubricant. The sump portion II within the flanged portion I02is provided with a recess I04 serving to receive the outer element of ananti-friction bearing I05, the inner element of which is mounted uponthe reduced diameter portion I00 of 'the'crank shaft 29.

The crank shaft portion I00 terminates in a coupling portion I31 havingcooperating ridges engaging a corresponding coupling socket I33 in theupper end of the drive shaft I33. The lat:-

a bevel gear "6 secured, as at H1, to the propeller shaft H3. One end ofthe propeller shaft H3 is mounted in double anti-friction bearings II3supported in a recess I23 formed in the drive housing cap I2I. as atI22, intothe bore I23 in the projecting portion I 23 at the/lyer end ofthe drive housins I2.

The drive housing I2 also is provided with a projecting portion I25(Fig. 1) provided with a recess I26 containing an anti-friction thrustbearing I21 which is engaged by the enlargement I23 on the propellershaft I I3. The latter is provided with a packing I23 compressed by agland I33 threaded into the bore I3I. The outer end of the propellershaft H3 is provided with a screw propeller I32 secured thereto, as atI33, and having propeller blades I34. Formed integrally with the drivehousing I2 is a downwardly projecting fin or rudder I35.

The upper end 01' the drive housing I2 is provided with an annularrecess I36 loosely receiving an annular member I31 carrying a pivot pinI33. Engaging the pivot pin I33 is the 1 bore I33 formed in the upperend of the bracket I3 which has an outwardly extending arm structure I43provided with threaded bores I carrying a pair of clamping screws I42,each being provided with a head I43 and handle I44 for clamping themotor to a boat (in Fig. i the two clamping screws I42 are in horizontalalignment and hence only one is visible.)

The bracket I3 is likewise provided with a downwardly extending armstructure I45 to which are secured, as at I46, spaced arms I41containing arcuate slots I43 having their centers of curvature at thecenter of the pivot shaft I33. The slots I43 are engaged by adjustingbolts I43 seated in annular members I 53 loosely mounted upon the casingI2 in a manner similar to the annular membr I31. In this manner themotor may be swung completely around by grasping the handle 33. Thebolts I33 also permit an adjustment of the motor and a tiltingrelatively to the vertical plane.

The drive housing I2 is preferably of streamlined cross-section so as tooffer the minimum resistance in its passage through the water. For thispurpose, the leading edge is rounded and the trailing edge is thin andfin-shaped.

Operation The operation of the invention has been described, in part, inconnection with the description of the construction thereof. Theoperator starts the engine by rotating the hand crank 33 after pushingit downward into engagement with the projection 3| on the half crank 23.Assuming that the carbureter 32 has been supplied with fuel and thetiming apparatus and spark plugs 13 energized from a suitable source ofelectricity, the explosions take place in timed sequences within thecylinders I5.

While the explosions are taking place within The latter is threaded/ thecylinders I5, the cam shafts H are bein rotated so as to open and closethe intake valves 63 and exhaust valves 61 in accordance with thepredetermined cycle of operation, according to the four-cycle plan. Thusthe piston I 1 makes one complete stroke upon its explosion and exhausthalf strokes and a successive complete stroke upon its intake andcompression half strokes. This cycle of operations is repeatedindefinitely according to the desires of the operator.

As the explosion stroke of each cylinder occurs, the thrust of eachpiston I1 is communicated to the half crank 23 of the crank shaft 23' bythe engagement of the main connecting links 33 with the anti-frictionbearing 25. This rotation is transmitted to the drive shaft I33 throughthe coupling members I31 and I33 and, thence, to the screw propeller I32through the shaft H3 and bevel gearing H5 and H6. I

Meanwhile, the rotation of the fly-wheel 33 causes thescoop tubes I3I topick up oil from the sump portion II and throw this oil upward tolubricate the various bearings and-the cylinder r bores I6.

- between the two chambers.

The motor may be adjusted as to position by manipulating the bolts I43,thereby allowing for any tilt at which the bracket structure I3 must beset in the particular boat.

To steer the boat, the operator merely swings the handle 33, therebyswinging the motor and its connected parts, including the drive housingI2, screw propeller I32, and the rudder I35. To reverse the boat, theoperator merely swings the handle 38 through a half revolution, so thatthe screw propeller I32 is directed forward instead of rearward, asshownin Fig. 1. The hearing ring members I31 and I53 permit this wideangle swinging of the motor assembly relatively to the bracket structureI3.

The term outboard motor used herein is defined as a small internalcombustion engine with propeller attached, temporarily secured to thestern of a small boat.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an outboard motor, a crank case having a closure plate to providean end wall therefor. a plurality of removable cylinders disposedradially about said crank case, pistons reciprocably mounted in saidcylinders, a crank-shaft journaled in one wall of said case, acantilever crank pin on the crank shaft having its end terminatingwithin the confines of the cylinders and spaced from the end wallclosureplate a suflicient distance to provide clearance there-v between,and a connecting rod assembly'mounted said crank pin being drivinglyconnected to said piston, said clearance space being so pro-- crank caseand extending radially therefrom,

pistons mounted in said cylinder, a crank shaft journaled in said crankcase, a cantilever crank pin on said crank shaft having its end terminating within the confines of the cylinders andspaced from the closureplate a suflicient distance to provide a clearance space therebetween,and a connecting rod assembly mounted on said crank pin connecting saidpl tomgwith said crank pin, said clearance space being so'-wopor-=tioned as to ermit removal oithe connection rod assembly laterally fromthe crank min after the cylinders have been removed from the crank C558.

3. In an outboard motor. a, crank;caae having an end wall, a series ofcylindersrradiailydil. posed about said crank case. pistonsreciprocablymounted in said cylinders; a crank-shait ioor- -naledinsaidvcrank case,- a cantilever crank pin on said crank-shaft withintheconfines oi said ity of secondary connecting rods connecting theremaining .pistonsto said mainconnecting rod.

said clearance space being soflproportioned to admit removal oi theconnecting rod assembly laterally from the crankipinaiter the cylinders-hav'e been removed irom thezcrank case.

III p AMA GRAY FARR,

- l Emecutrix.

